Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry (Brazilian)
A creamy spicy coconut chicken curry with a powerful kick of heat. This Brazilian curry is not for the faint-hearted! Ready in 20 minutes!
Timings
Prep Time
5 mins
Cooktime
15 mins
Total time
20 mins
Servings
2
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry (Brazilian)
To be honest, I wasn’t exactly prepared for how hot this curry was going to be. I mean, I only used cayenne pepper and chopped jalapeños? Who knew?! Despite the heat though, this curry is delish! The creaminess of the coconut milk offsets the heat perfectly. A wonderful taste of Brazil in this one-pot curry.
Do you like your curries with a punch of heat or super mellow like my mild Caribbean coconut beef curry?
SERVE: Be sure to try out my Brazilian White Rice recipe for the ultimate pairing to this spicy coconut chicken curry recipe.
Why should I make this curry?
- Takes less than 30 minutes to prep and cook.
- If you like the heat, this curry is for you!
- Taste a little bit of Brazil.
- It’s full of healthy spices such as turmeric, cayenne, ginger.
How To Make This Coconut Chicken Curry
Step 1 – In a small bowl, mix together the chicken and the cayenne pepper, turmeric, ground coriander and cumin powder. You could leave it to marinade if you have extra time but it’s not essential.
Step 2 – Fry the chicken in a small casserole pot (Dutch oven) and when browning, add the chopped onion, garlic, jalapeño and chopped ginger. I also like to use Waitrose’s cook’s ingredient frozen chopped ginger, and in this case, also their frozen chopped jalapeño too. If using fresh, you’ll need just one red jalapeño and one 1cm of peeled, chopped ginger.
Step 3 – Once the onions have softened, add in the chopped tomatoes and leave them to soften for a minute or two.
Step 4 – Pour in the coconut milk and the chopped parsley and leave to boil. Once boiling, simmer for 15 minutes. You could also pop this in the oven at a low temperature (70°c) if you’re wanting to make ahead. Serve with plenty of rice! My Brazilian white rice recipe would pair perfectly.
Chicken Curry Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Mix together the spice and chicken. Step 2 – Fry the chicken in the casserole pot. Step 3 – Add the garlic, onion, jalapeño and ginger. Mix together. Step 4 – Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until they soften. Step 5 – Add coconut milk and parsley. Boil and then leave to simmer for 15 mins. Serve with rice.
Frequently Asked Questions!
Can I make this curry vegan?
You can certainly make this vegan. Instead of chicken, you could use tofu or even Quorn chicken pieces.
Can I use a different meat other than chicken?
If I was to make this with a different meat, it would probably be lamb or beef. I don’t think it would work very well with pork. Follow the recipe as is but you may need to consider that lamb and beef will benefit from a longer, slower cook. Instead of boiling and simmering on the hob, I’d boil and then let it simmer in the oven for an hour at a temperate of 100°c.
Can I make this chicken curry in the instant pot or slow cooker?
100% yes! This recipe would work so well in both. I’m not as well-versed with the instant pot but I’m pretty sure it would work.
I don’t have any coconut milk, what else could I use?
I’d recommend using natural yoghurt as a thickener but maybe also a dash of another milk, like almond milk or oat milk. You need something to replace the creamy part of the coconut but also enough liquid to give the volume of milk that comes with coconut milk. The taste will however be different.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes. You can freeze this curry (In a well-sealed container) for 3 months. Defrost properly and re-heat thoroughly until piping hot. I would not recommend freezing the rice though. Make it fresh: it’ll be nicer!
Storing and using leftovers
This curry will need to be stored a sealed container in the fridge. It will keep for 2 days until needing to be eaten.
Any leftovers can either be frozen (see question above) and served again with a fresh batch of rice OR you could drain off a lot of the juice and eat it in a wrap or pitta bread. Yum!
Serving suggestions
A Brazilian curry is practically a match made in heaven for my Brazilian white rice recipe!
If you’re looking for bread to serve it with, an Indian chapatti could be nice or a naan bread. Both ideal for soaking up the juices of this juicy dish!
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken breast
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 tsp ginger chopped (1 cm)
- 2 tsp garlic chopped (2 cloves)
- 3 tsp jalapeno chopped (1 chilli)
- 1/2 onion diced
- 3 tomatoes chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the chicken and the cayenne pepper, turmeric, ground coriander and cumin powder. You could leave it to marinade if you have extra time but it's not essential.
- Fry the chicken in a small casserole pot (Dutch oven) and when browning, add the chopped onion, garlic, jalapeño and chopped ginger.
- Once the onions have softened, add in the chopped tomatoes and leave them to soften for a minute or two.
- Pour in the coconut milk and the chopped parsley and leave to boil. Once boiling, simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with rice.
Notes
Nutrition
More curry recipes –
African Sweet Potato Peanut Curry (Vegan)
Caribbean Coconut Beef Curry (Mild)
Afghan Lamb and Spinach Curry
